Foreign Accounts Frozen in Money Laundering Probe
Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau has frozen two foreign bank accounts containing $4.5 million allegedly linked to Bahria Town as part of an ongoing investigation into an international money laundering network.
According to NAB officials, the accounts are maintained at Silver Bank in Mauritius. They are reportedly registered in the names of Ahmad Ali Riaz and Mubashra Ali Malik.
The anti-graft body said the action was taken under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. The move was carried out after formal approval from an accountability court in Karachi.
NAB said the frozen funds are suspected to have been transferred out of Pakistan through an illegal informal money transfer network. Officials said the money was first routed through the United Arab Emirates before being moved to Mauritius.
The funds were then allegedly deposited into joint bank accounts at Silver Bank.
NAB Moves to Recover Funds
Officials said NAB is now working to confiscate the frozen money through formal legal channels. The bureau has also sought assistance from Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete the international legal process.
Authorities said efforts to recover and bring the funds back to Pakistan are in the final stages.
NAB described the operation as part of a wider campaign to trace assets allegedly moved abroad through illegal financial channels.
The bureau said international cooperation is essential in cases where money is transferred through multiple countries. It added that such investigations require coordination with foreign banks, courts, and government departments.
Asset Recovery Drive Expands
The latest action marks another step in NAB’s broader asset recovery strategy. The bureau has repeatedly said it is focused on identifying and recovering illicit wealth held outside Pakistan.
Officials said the freezing of the Mauritius accounts shows that financial trails can be traced even when funds pass through different jurisdictions.
The case is expected to remain under legal review as NAB continues proceedings for confiscation. Further action will depend on court orders, foreign legal cooperation, and completion of required documentation.
For now, the $4.5 million remains frozen as investigators pursue recovery and repatriation of the funds.
The development has drawn attention because of the high-profile names allegedly connected to the accounts and the international nature of the financial trail.
NAB said it remains committed to pursuing money laundering cases and recovering funds that were allegedly transferred abroad in violation of Pakistani law.
